Real whipped cream takes just seconds to make, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it at the very last minute.

Here’s how to do it ahead:

Whip the cream (with vanilla and sugar or whatever) as usual, but beat it less stiff than you ultimately want it to be. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge until needed, several hours or even a day or two ahead.

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When the cream is needed, give it just a few strokes with a wire whisk to stiffen it and re-incorporate any liquid that has accumulated at the bottom of the bowl. That’s all!

Alice's new book Seriously Bitter Sweet is a complete revision of her IACP award-winning Bittersweet, updated for the 54%, 61%, and 72% (and beyond) bars available today. It's packed with tricks, techniques, and answers to every chocolate question, plus 150 seriously delicious recipes -- both savory and sweet.

My career was sparked by a single bite of a chocolate truffle, made by my Paris landlady in l972. I returned home to open this country’s first chocolate bakery and dessert shop, Cocolat, and I am often “blamed” for introducing chocolate truffles to America. Today I am the James Beard Foundation and IACP award-winning author of ten cookbooks, teach a chocolate dessert class on Craftsy.com, and work with some of the world’s best chocolate companies.